When it comes to making your Toronto bathroom safe for the senior(s) in your life, there are several steps you can take ranging from simple, quick fixes to more major updates that would require planning, time and a bigger budget. However, it is possible to create a safe and secure environment for those your love so that they can enjoy the freedom to remain in their own home for as long as possible.
Quick fixes
The first things to do to ensure the safety to your elderly relatives include:
– Remove all loose rugs
– Put non-skid pads or mats on the floor and in the bathtub
– Get a toilet seat adaptor that raises the seat and provides additional stability
– Add railings and grab bars on the walls and in the bath tub
– Set the water temperature to 120 degrees to prevent scalding
– Purchase a specially designed shower stool with rubber feet so that the person can sit down while showering
– Place all accessories in easy-to reach places
– Install motion sensor lighting in the bathroom
– Install night lights in all the corridors leading to the bathroom
– Change the shower head to a hand-held nozzle as they are easier to use when sitting down
Bigger fixes
To truly adapt a bathroom for a senior’s use there are larger renovations that can be made including:
– Removing the door locks and changing the way it is hung so that it swings outward in case of falls
– Replace the tub with a tub specially designed for those who are unable to lift their legs very high; these tubs usually have doors that open outward allowing someone to easily enter and sit down while bathing. However you can also adapt your current tub but cutting one side down to be more easily accessible.
– Replace shower doors with plastic curtains
Keeping your loved-one safe is possible with the above fixes.
Quick fixes
The first things to do to ensure the safety to your elderly relatives include:
– Remove all loose rugs
– Put non-skid pads or mats on the floor and in the bathtub
– Get a toilet seat adaptor that raises the seat and provides additional stability
– Add railings and grab bars on the walls and in the bath tub
– Set the water temperature to 120 degrees to prevent scalding
– Purchase a specially designed shower stool with rubber feet so that the person can sit down while showering
– Place all accessories in easy-to reach places
– Install motion sensor lighting in the bathroom
– Install night lights in all the corridors leading to the bathroom
– Change the shower head to a hand-held nozzle as they are easier to use when sitting down
Bigger fixes
To truly adapt a bathroom for a senior’s use there are larger renovations that can be made including:
– Removing the door locks and changing the way it is hung so that it swings outward in case of falls
– Replace the tub with a tub specially designed for those who are unable to lift their legs very high; these tubs usually have doors that open outward allowing someone to easily enter and sit down while bathing. However you can also adapt your current tub but cutting one side down to be more easily accessible.
– Replace shower doors with plastic curtains
Keeping your loved-one safe is possible with the above fixes.
